Computers and Design in Context

Overview

Too often, designers of computer systems, both hardware and software, use models and concepts that focus on the artifact while ignoring the context in which the artifact will be used. According to this book, that assumption is a major reason for many of the failures in contemporary computer systems development. It is time for designers and users to join forces in the design of computer systems.

The contributors to this book address both the pragmatic approach of direct collaboration between designers and users (known as participatory design) and the more conceptual approach that incorporates complementary perspectives to help designers come up with better solutions. The volume brings together different computer-related research disciplines, including computer-supported cooperative work (CSCW), human-computer interaction (CHI), and software engineering, as well as social science disciplines concerned with the design and use of computer artifacts.

The book is organized into two parts. The first, "Artifacts and Use," focuses on the context of using computer artifacts. The second, "Process and People," focuses on the context of designing computer artifacts.